Safety wheel



March 4, 1941- v1 R. LowRY, sR 2,233,742

SAFETY WHEEL Filed Jan. 23, 1940 '/f' Inventor. J Z/oj/djl," 0IA/7,51:

A orrvleys yPatented Mar. .4, 1941 SAFETY WHEEL Lloyd Lowry, Sr., Weatherford, Okla., assigner of one-half to Richard Stanley, Weatherford,

Okla.

Application January 23, 1940, Serial No. 315,273

1 Claim.

Other important objectsand advantages of the f invention are made` to appear in the following description and appended drawing, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

15 In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an inboard side elevational view of the annulus showing the same detached from the wheel proper.

Figure 2 is a top plan view partly in section,

2o showing the annulus installed on the inboard side of the wheel.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the clamping ring.-

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment ofthe en invention, the numeral 5 generally designates a. pneumatic tire mounted on the conventional rim 6 which includes a drop center portion 'I to which the wheel web 8 is attached, the latter having conventional chain fastener accommodating holes 30 Q distributed therearound. In accordance withA the present invention I provide a clampingring I which is flat in cross-section and of a`width similar to the depth or radial Width of the outboard side of the portion 1 and which is adapted :m to bear thereagainst. The ring I0 has radially inwardly projecting lugs II matching the wheel web holes 9 in location, and provided with bolt holes I2. To engage the inboard side of the portionl there is provided another ring I3 which is 4o heavier than the ring I0 and of generally square cross section with lugs I4 projecting radially inwardly therefrom and positioned and provided with bore holes I5 like the lugs II. The, lugs I4 are spaced inboardly with respect to the drop 45 center-engaging side of the ring I3. With the lugs Il and II aligned, the bolts I6 are passed through the lugs I4, through the web holes 8, and through the lugs II and the nut I1 turned up tight, to install the safety annulus on the wheel.

^ 50 The ring I3 which is substantially the width of the rim 6 measured from the portion 1 to-the inboard flange I8, has projecting radially outwardly from the inboard side thereof, in alignment with the lugs I4, the segmental-shaped outwardly fiaring spokes I9, which are pitched'and curved to follow the devious contour of the flange I8 and extend in spaced relation to the side of the tire 5, as shown in Figure 2. At about the median belt 5 of the side wall of the tire 5, the radially outward ends of the spokes I9 have attached thereto the .rounded cross-section ground-engaging annulus A2li which is arranged to engage the ground and support the wheel when the tire becomes l0 under-inflated or blowsl out. The spokes and the annulus are sufficiently laterally spaced from the wheel to provide for lateral expansion of the fiatv tire, and the annulus is sufficiently widely spaced outwardly from the rim 6 to prevent in- 15.

` jurious crushing of the deflated tire between the rim 6 and the ground.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after 20 considering the description in connection with the drawing. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Since excellent results are obtainable from the details disclosed, they are preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous modifications may, of course, be made.

Having described the invention what is claimed asA new is:

In combination, a pneumatic tire, a rim mounting such tire, said rim including an inwardly extending central part and a rim flange, projecting on one side of the central part, a wheel web supporting said rim and attached to said central part, said wheel web having circumferentially spaced openings adjacent the central part, a clamping ring engaging one side of said central part and having legs registered with said openings, a mounting ring engaging the opposite side 40 of said central part and reaching to said rim flange, said mounting ring having lugs registering with said openings and the mst-mentioned lugs, clamping bolts traversing said openings and each of said registered lugs and holding the rings in place, spokes radiating from said mounting ring and lying along said rim flange, and a groundengaging annuls fixed to the outer ends of said spokes, and .thereby supported in laterally spaced relation to and concentrically spaced inwardly'50 from the periphery of the tire.

4 LLOYD R. LOWRY, SR. 

